


A Rose By Any Other Name...

by derryderrydown



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Thor (2011)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-16
Updated: 2011-07-16
Packaged: 2017-10-21 11:24:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/224645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/derryderrydown/pseuds/derryderrydown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Coulson hadn't realised there was anything unusual about his name until the new kid started in third grade.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Rose By Any Other Name...

Coulson hadn't realised there was anything unusual about his name until the new kid started in third grade.

Everybody else had known him since before kindergarten and his name was just _his name_. As unremarkable as Sally or Bob or Dave.

Okay, nobody in books had his name but nobody had Rachid's name or Paulo's name or even Latempe's name so it didn't seem that odd.

But, according to the new kid, Coulson's name was really, really odd.

Coulson didn't get it. What was wrong with being called 'Agent'?

* * *

He was twelve when he finally asked his parents, Avocado and Moonshine.

"We wanted you to be the agent of your own destiny," Moonshine said.

"You're a free agent," Avocado said, without looking up from his sewing. "Your name's to remind you of that."

Coulson promptly decided that he didn't want to be a free agent.

* * *

On his first day at Quantico, in the introductory briefing, Assistant Director Browne demanded Coulson's name, and his mouth quirked slightly when Coulson answered. "You haven't graduated yet," he said, and one of the instructors stepped forward and murmured something into Browne's ear.

Browne blinked.

" _Really?_ " he said, staring at Coulson. "Well. I think you've chosen the right career, Coulson. Marked for it from birth, so to say."

"Yes, sir," Coulson said, with all the blandness he could muster.

* * *

The first time Coulson met Nick Fury, he was expecting the comment on his name.

It came, of course, but it was followed up by Fury shrugging and saying, "What the fuck ever. I've gone through life called Fury and people wonder why I'm angry."

Coulson signed up for SHIELD as soon as it was offered to him.

* * *

It wasn't until his second date with Pepper Potts that she said, "Look, I can't just keep calling you Agent Coulson. What's your first name?"

He cleared his throat and focused on cutting up his steak. "My first name _is_ Agent," he said. She didn't reply but, when he finally looked up, she was smiling fondly.

"I like it," she said. "It suits you."

"Thank you, Virginia," he said.

**Author's Note:**

> So, Marvel has now given him his own comic which calls him Phil. I DON'T CARE. He'll always be Agent to me. *pouts*


End file.
